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Kaitlin Shiver Claims First ITU World Cup Podium Finish in Cancun

CANCUN, Mexico — Kaitlin Shiver placed second and earned her first career World Cup podium finish Sunday to lead 16 Americans in action at the sprint-distance Cancun ITU Triathlon World Cup, the final stop on the 2012 ITU World Cup circuit.

A member of the USA Triathlon Project 2016 program and a two-time under-23 national champion, Shiver (Gainesville, Fla.) covered the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5-kilometer run course in 1 hour, 54 seconds. Great Britain’s Katie Hewison earned the win in 1:00:19, while Austria’s Lisa Perterer rounded out the podium in 1:00:56.

Shiver rode among the lead group of 18 on the bike and was among the first athletes out of T2 onto the 5k run course. Hewison grabbed a lead she would not relinquish on the first of two laps of the run, while Shiver held off Perterer and Canada’s Kathy Tremblay for second.

Lindsey Jerdonek (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) was 10th in 1:02:08, while Anna Battiata (Mechanicsville, Va.) and Jessica Broderick (Boulder, Colo.) took 15th and 16th in 1:02:58 and 1:03:01, respectively, to give the U.S. four women in the top 20. Visit triathlon.org for a complete recap.

On the men’s side, USA Triathlon National Team member Jarrod Shoemaker (Clermont, Fla.) placed fourth in 53:59 to lead 10 Americans in action. Mexico’s Sergio Sarmiento and Crisanto Grajales went one-two in 53:33 and 53:36, respectively, with Grégory Rouault of France placing third in 53:49.

Tommy Zaferes (Soquel, Calif.) and Germany’s Steffen Justus broke away on the swim, but their lead was short-lived, as the field merged on the second lap of the bike. Zaferes managed to lead the field out of T2, but it was Sarmiento, Grajales and Shoemaker who emerged as the top three early in the run. Shoemaker faded on the second lap, as Rouault surged to take the third and final podium spot.

A quartet of American men claimed top-20 finishes. Following Shoemaker were Kevin Collington (Orlando, Fla.), who was 13th in 54:35; Zaferes, who placed 19th in 54:54; and Joe Maloy (Wildwood Crest, N.J.), who took 20th in 54:57. Visit triathlon.org for a full recap.

Shiver and Shoemaker will return to action in two weeks at the 2012 ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final in Auckland, New Zealand. Shiver will look to improve on a fourth-place under-23 finish from a year ago.

Sunday’s race concluded the 2012 ITU World Cup slate. U.S. athletes combined for five podium finishes over the course of the series, including victories by Gwen Jorgensen (St. Paul, Minn.) and Lukas Verzbicas (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in Banyoles, Spain.

About USA Triathlon
Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon – one of the fastest growing sports in the world – as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. USA Triathlon sanctions 4,000 races and connects with more than 150,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including ITU World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the International Triathlon Union and the United States Olympic Committee.